Installation for loading and unloading rolls automatically

ABSTRACT

An installation is used to load and unload paper rolls in a roll changer of a web-fed rotary printing press. The paper supply rolls and the used paper rolls are supported on transport cars which run on guide tracks. These transport car guide tracks extend to the roll changer from one side of the roll changer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an installation for supplying andremoving rolls automatically to a roll changer by use of a track-guidedtransport car. Both the roll supply and roll removal tracks are locatedon the same side of the roll changer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A prior method for transporting rolls to a roll changer is known from DE36 27 454 A1. There, a roll provided with adhesives is loaded directlyonto a transport car, which supplies these prepared rolls to the rollchanger from a first side. The full roll is removed from the transportcar which is now empty. This empty transport car then transports anunwound roll remainder out of a second side of the roll changer.

The company brochure "WIFAG-Information 11/12" describes an installationfor supplying and removing rolls to and from a roll changer. A singletrack is assigned to this roll changer on each side.

In this prior art arrangement the supply of the rolls takes place fromone side of the roll changer and, depending on the embodiment, the tubesare transported on the same track or on a second track arranged on anopposite side of the roll changer.

EP 0 391 061 A1 describes a set-up station for a paper roll which isplaced upstream of a roll changer. On one side, this set-up station hasa first track for supplying the paper roll, and a second track on theopposite side for removing the paper rolls.

A blind track is additionally provided for receiving a special removaltransport car in a stand-by position.

DE 39 10 444 A1 discloses an installation for supplying paper rolls tothe roll changer of a rotary printing press. In this installation thepaper roll is transported by means of a track leading into a first sideof the roll changer, and is transported out by means of a second trackon the opposite side of the roll changer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has the object of providing an installation forsupplying and removing rolls automatically to a roll changer.

In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained byusing a track-guided transport car. Both roll supply and removal tracksfor the cars are located on one side of the roll changer.

The advantages which can be achieved by means of the present inventionreside, in particular, in that only one side of the roll changer must beaccessible. Moreover, a portion of the transport paths extending in thelongitudinal direction of the roll changer can also be used for removingthe roll remainders. If a seperate track is provided for each of theoperations of supplying and removing the rolls, the supply and removalprocess can take place simultaneously. The roll remainder canfurthermore be temporarily deposited on its own track.

Temporary storage directly at the roll changer is possible by means of"blind tracks", so that a great availability of the rolls is providedeven with time-critical operations during roll changes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The installation for transporting rolls in accordance with the presentinvention is represented in the drawings and will be described ingreater detail in what follows.

Shown are in:

FIG. 1, a schematic representation of an installation for thetransportation of rolls;

FIG. 2, a schematic lateral view of a transport car with two receivers;

FIG. 3, an enlarged schematic representation of the rails in FIG. 1arranged in the area of a roll changer;

FIG. 4, a schematic lateral view of a roll changer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An installation for the automatic transport of upright rolls 1 from astorage facility 3 to a roll changer 2 of a rotary printing press isconstructed as follows:

The upright rolls 1 are transported from a storage facility 3 for amonth's supply by a clamping forklift 4 to a roller surface, notrepresented, and are deposited thereon horizontally (i.e. with alongitudinal axis of the horizontal roll 7 approximately horizontal).The rolls 7 are brought to a first slat conveyor 6 by this rollersurface. This slat conveyor 6 transports the horizontal rolls 7 to afirst unpacking station 8, by means of which the front covers of therolls 7 are removed. The first slat conveyor 6 conveys the rolls 7 fromthis first unpacking station 8 to a second unpacking station 9. Thissecond unpacking station 9 removes a circumferential packaging of therolls 7 and pivots these horizontal rolls 11 by 90° in a horizontallylocated plane. These pivoted horizontal rolls 11 are deposited on asecond slat conveyor 12 extending parallel in relation to the transportdirection of the web-fed rotary printing press and are transported,lying horizontally with their longitudinal axes in the longitudinaldirection of the web-fed rotary printing press, to two transfer stations13, 14.

A portion of the installation for transporting the pivoted horizontalrolls 11, which is located between the transfer stations 13, 14 and theroll changers 2 of the web-fed rotary printing press, is symmetricallyconstructed in the present exemplary embodiment, so that for the sake ofsimplicity only the right half will be described in what follows.

The transfer station 13 pushes the rolls 11 onto a first transport car16. Such transport cars 16, which are known per se, are guided on rails,for example. In this case the transport car 16 has four rollers 18,which roll on a pair of rails 17, as seen in FIG. 2. A single rail canalso be provided in place of one of a pair of rails 17. The term"tracks", which is used in what follows, includes both a single rail andseveral, parallel extending rails. A drag chain conveyor, extendingunder the floor is used for moving this transport car 16, for example,and in the present case is designed as a rotating chain. The transportcar 16 is connected with this chain at least at times. A trough-shapedbasin or receiver 21, for example, has been attached to a frame 19 ofthe transport car 16 for receiving the roll 11. This receiver 21embodied as a basin projects out of a floor 22 of the storage facility,while the transport car 16 runs embedded to a large extent in the floor22 of the storage facility.

In the preferred embodiment, during the transfer of the rolls 11 fromthe slat conveyor 12 to the transport car 16, the transport car 16stands on a turntable 23, which is rotatable by at least 90° and,preferably by 360°. This turntable 23 is provided with guides, whichcross each other at 90°, for example rail sections for receiving thetransport car 16. After the transport car 16 has been loaded with theloaded roll 24, the transport car 16 with the loaded roll 24 istransported to a preparation station 26, all as seen in FIG. 1. In thispreparation station 26 the loaded roll 24 is lifted by two pick-uprollers extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the roll 24,and a start of the roll 24 is prepared for a roll change with adhesivestrips in a generally known manner and reflector strips.

After this adhesive preparation, the now prepared roll 24 is loweredonto the waiting transport car 16. This transport car 16, now loadedwith a prepared roll 24 that has been prepared for a roll change, isloaded onto a second transport car 27. This second transport car 27 isalso provided with rollers guided on rails and extending, for example onthe bottom in the longitudinal direction of the web-fed rotary printingpress. A turntable 28 with at least one receiver 29, for example asection of rail, has been attached to this second transport car 27.Also, and as represented in the example, crossing receivers 29, forexample sections of rail, are possible. The second transport car 27 ismoved to a selected track 31 of an intermediate storage facility 39,which is designed as a daily storage and has a plurality of tracks 31,32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38. On the way from the preparation station 26 tothe selected track 31 of the intermediate storage facility 39, theloaded transport car 27 with the prepared roll 24 is turned by 90° inthe direction of the selected track 31 by means of the turntable 28 ofthe transport car. The second transport car 27 running in thelongitudinal direction of the web-fed rotary printing press, positionsthe loaded first transport car 16, carrying the prepared roll 24, infront of the selected track 31 of the intermediate storage facility 39in such a way, that the latter can be run directly onto this track 31.The first transport car 16 carrying the prepared roll 24 is moved nowonto the selected track 31 and parked. In this way, first transport cars16 loaded with prepared rolls 24 can be temporarily stored on aplurality of tracks 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38.

In the preferred embodiment represented, the length of a track of theintermediate storage facility 39 is designed to be such that, forexample, three first transport cars 16, each loaded with a roll 24, canbe parked on a selected track 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38. One half ofthe intermediate storage facility 39 has seven tracks 31, 32, 33, 34,36, 37, 38, each of which can receive three first transport cars 16.

A third transport car 41 is provided for further transport to the rollchangers 2. This third transport car 41 can be displaced in thelongitudinal direction of the web-fed rotary printing press and has atleast two receivers 42, 43, which are arranged next to each other andwhich extend perpendicularly to the transport direction of the thirdtransport car 41. These receivers 42, 43 which, for example, aredesigned as rail sections, are spaced apart in such a way that at leastone roll remainder 44 of a reduced diameter d44 and a prepared roll 24with a maximum diameter d24 can be simultaneously received. A distancebetween the two receivers is understood to be the distance between thetwo centers of the receivers 42, 43.

This third transport car 41 is positioned in front of an end of aselected track 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38 of the intermediate storagefacility 39, so that a transport car 16 loaded with a prepared roll 24can directly move into this third transport car 41. This third transportcar 41 now moves to a preselected roll changer 2.

Prior to being transported into the intermediate storage facility 39,each roll 24 is adhesively prepared, i.e. the roll 24, which is beingtransported from the intermediate storage facility 39 in the directiontoward the roll changer 2, has been prepared prior to having been takenout of the intermediate storage facility 39, i.e. it has been providedwith adhesives. Thus, a plurality of first transport cars 16 loaded withprepared rolls 24 provided with adhesives is stored in the intermediatestorage facility 39. A roll 24 to be supplied to the roll changer can beselected from this intermediate storage facility 39.

It is possible in particular to select a track 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37,38 of the intermediate storage facility 39.

All "new" rolls stored in the intermediate storage facility 39 have beenprepared prior to being removed and transported to the roll changer.

Two tracks 46, 47, which extend parallel with each other andperpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the web-fed rotaryprinting press, as seen in FIG. 3, are assigned to each one of theseroll changers 2. The track 46 located closest to the respective rollchanger 2 is preferably used for receiving the prepared roll 24 to besupplied. These two tracks 46, 47, which lead from a first side 48 ofthe roll changer 2 facing the intermediate storage facility 39 into theroll changers 2, can also extend, as in the preferred embodiment seen inFIG. 3, past the second side 49 of the roll changer 2 of the web-fedrotary printing press facing away from the intermediate storage facility39. The extended ends of the tracks 46, 47 can only be used starting atthe roll changer 2, i.e. these ends are designed as "blind tracks" 51,52. As represented in FIG. 3, a transport car 16 with a prepared roll 24or with a roll remainder 44 can be temporarily stored on these blindtracks 51, 52, which are extended past the lateral frame of the rollchangers.

The second track 47 assigned to the roll changer 2 is used fortransporting a transport car 16 with a roll remainder 44 of reduceddiameter d44 from the roll changer 2 to the third transport car 41,which can be displaced in the longitudinal direction.

This third transport car 41 is positioned in front of the selected rollchanger 2 in such a way that the two receivers 42, 43 of the transportcar 41 are flush with the two tracks 46, 47 assigned to the roll changer2. In this way it is possible to load or unload this third transport car41 from both tracks 46, 47 without changing its position.

The first transport car 16 with the prepared roll 24 is moved from thistransport car 41 onto the track 46 and temporarily stored, or it isdirectly supplied to the roll changer 2. Another first transport car 16with an exchanged roll remainder 44 which, for example, has only a rollcore 53 or at least a reduced diameter d44, is already in a parkedposition on the second track 47. During or after the unloading of thefirst transport car 16 loaded with the prepared roll 24, this firsttransport car 16 loaded with the exchanged roll remainder 44 is movedback onto the third transport car 41, which can be moved in thelongitudinal direction.

For a roll change, the first transport car 16 loaded with a preparedroll 24 moves onto a fourth transport car 54, as seen in FIG. 4 whichcan be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the web-fed rotaryprinting press. This fourth transport car 54 can be displaced betweenlateral frames 56, 57 of the roll changer 2, as seen in FIG. 3 isarranged below the floor and has a receiver 58. This receiver 58 extendsparallel with the two tracks 46, 47, and therefore parallel with an axisdefined by clamping cones 59 of the roll changer 2. The fourth transportcar 54 can be positioned in such a way that, in a first position, asupply position "Z", as seen in FIG. 4 its receiver 58 works togetherwith the first track 46, in a second position, a parking position "P",with the second track 47, and in a third position, a removal position"A", it stands underneath the support arm 61 with the unwound rollremainder 44. Starting at the supply position "Z", the fourth transportcar 54 with the loaded transport car 16 displaces the prepared roll 24into a changing position. This changing position is a function of apivot radius r59 of the clamping cones 59 of the roll changer 2 and ofthe diameter d24 of the prepared roll 24.

In this changing position, the roll 24 located on the two transport cars54, 16, is grasped by the two clamping cones 59 of a support arm 62 ofthe roll changer 2, which is two-armed, for example. This support arm 62pivots upward, together with the grasped roll 24, for the adhesionprocess.

After the roll changer 2 has grasped the new roll 24 and lifted it offthe first transport car 16, which is, in turn, carried by the fourthtransport car 54, the longitudinally displaceable fourth transport car54 moves underneath the second support arm 61, which carries an unwoundroll remainder 44. This support arm 61 is placed nearly verticallyduring the adhesion process of the new roll 24 placed on the firstsupport arm 62, so that a distance between the empty receiver 21 of thefirst transport car 16 and the unwound roll remainder 44 is minimal, oronly slightly larger than the shortest distance. Now the clamping cones59 of the roll changer 2 release the unwound roll remainder 44. Thisunwound roll remainder 44 drops on the receiver 21 of the transport car16.

The fourth transport car 54 loaded with the unwound roll remainder 44and the transport car 16 moves out of the roll changer 2 into its parkposition "P". This may be seen in FIG. 4.

During the roll changing process, the third transport car 41, which canbe displaced in the longitudinal direction and which is loaded with thetransport car 16 carrying the unwound roll remainder 44 from the fourthtransport car 54, moves to a selectable track 63, 64, 66 of theintermediate storage facility 39. The third transport car 41 ispositioned in front of this selected track 63, 64, 66, so that theloaded first transport car 16 carrying the unwound roll remainder 44 canenter this track 63, 64, 66.

This selected track 63, 64, 66 can be, for example, a track 63, 64 forthe temporary storage of the partially unwound roll remainders 44 withthe associated first transport car 16. In the preferred embodiment, forexample, two of these tracks 63, 64 are provided for the temporarystorage and renewed supply to the roll changers 2.

In most cases the third transport car 41 loaded with the unwound rollremainder 44 on the first transport car 16 enters a track, to which anunloading station 67 is assigned, which removes the unwound rollremainder 44 from the first transport car 16.

In the preferred embodiment, this track 66 intended for unloadingterminates on the turntable 23 placed in front of the transfer station13, or respectively 14. The first transport car 16, which is now empty,is moved to this turntable 23 and turned by 90°, so that this transportcar 16 can again be loaded.

The transport cars 16, 27, 41, 54, which transport the prepared roll 24,can also be designed as "driverless" transport cars, i.e. as "automatedguide vehicles" (AGV).

It is also possible to design these transport cars not for moving belowground, but as trolley conveyors.

While a preferred embodiment of an installation for loading andunloading rolls automatically, in accordance with the present invention,has been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparentto one of skill in the art that a number of changes in, for example, thestructure of the roll changer, the type of web-fed rotary printing pressbeing used, and the like could be made without departing from the truespirit and scope of the present invention which is accordingly to belimited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An installation for supplying a paper supply rollto a roll changer and for removing a used paper roll from a roll changercomprising:a paper supply roll transport car; a used paper rolltransport car; a guide track for said paper supply roll transport car;and a guide track for said used paper roll transport car, said papersupply transport car guide track and said used paper roll transport carguide track extending into said roll changer on a first side of the rollchanger.
 2. The installation of claim 1 wherein said paper supplytransport car guide track and said used paper roll transport car guidetrack are spaced from each other at a distance, said distance beingsufficient to allow a paper supply roll having a maximum diameter andsupported on said paper supply roll transport car, and a used paper rollhaving a reduced diameter and supported on said used paper rolltransport car to pass each other free of contact.
 3. The installation ofclaim 1 wherein said roll changer has a second side and further whereinat least one of said paper supply roll transport car guide track andsaid used paper roll transport car guide track has a blind track whichextends therefrom past a distal end of said roll changer.
 4. Theinstallation of claim 3 wherein the other of said guide tracks also hasa similar blind track.